


A Second Chance At Life

by Miko



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Consent is Sexy, Drunken Kissing, M/M, Masturbation, Sensuality, Shower Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-08-07 06:36:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16403171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miko/pseuds/Miko
Summary: It took Genji a long time to come to terms with his life as a cyborg. He's happy and whole - but there will always be a tiny part of him that misses human experiences. Scent. Taste. Touch.Especially intimate touch.The last thing he ever expected was to be given a second chance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Genji rewind comic](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/426575) by logicalfangirl. 



> ~~The inspiring picture was on Pinterest, and I can't figure out where it originated. The website at the bottom appears to be just a different kind of regurgitation website, which also does not give artist credit. I almost feel like I shouldn't link it at all, but it DID inspire this story and deserves credit for that. If anyone knows whose art this is, please let me know so I can link it with proper credit!~~
> 
> Found! Thanks to DeathMeister23 for the link to the original, and of course thanks to the artist logicalfangirl on tumblr. I'm amused that the original premise was that it would be a temporary effect, because my beta reader spent the whole story saying 'oh god I hope this isn't temporary!'. I think that would be so heartbreaking for poor Genji T_T

Gibraltar had always been one of Genji's favourite Watchpoints. Not because the base itself was anything special; it was pretty much like every other Watchpoint he'd ever been stationed at. But the Rock of Gibraltar was awe-inspiring, towering over the waters below and making the Watchpoint seem tiny and insignificant, huddled up against it.

Compared to the mountains of Nepal, where he'd spent the last several years amongst the Shambali, the Rock barely qualified as a foothill. Still, in its solitary splendour, standing guard over the Strait between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, it was a monument to the power of nature in its own way.

Though he hadn't spent much time stationed here when Overwatch was in operation, Genji had long ago found a preferred meditation spot high on the cliffs overlooking the sea, above the Watchpoint itself. There was a switchback path that wound up the steep hill from the base, but Genji had always climbed straight up the sheer cliff as part of his daily training routine. 

As he stood atop the cliff for the first time in many years, Genji made a mental note to bring Master Zenyatta up here. The Omnic would appreciate the majesty of the view, probably even moreso than Genji. The lookout point had been a popular makeout spot back when the base was fully staffed, but it was unlikely anyone came up here now. They would have privacy for their dawn meditations.

Even as the thought occurred to him, the rattle of pebbles tumbling down the path behind him caught Genji's attention, and he turned, surprised. There weren't many other people who'd answered the Recall yet, and he certainly hadn't expected any of them to bother tracking him down all the way up here. A blue streak raced back and forth along the hairpin curves, rapidly approaching.

Lena Oxton, callsign Tracer, skidded to a halt in front of him a moment later. She was uncharacteristically winded, leaning over with her hands braced on her knees as she panted for air. "Whew! That's not half steep, is it? I oughta run that every day, build up my strength."

Flipping his visor up to reveal his eyes, Genji smiled at her. "Miss Oxton. Winston mentioned you'd probably come by from London at some point, but I didn't expect it to be so soon."

Straightening, she beamed at him with the broad, cheerful smile she was known for. "Of course I had to come straight away when he told me you were here. I haven't seen you in _ages_ , I've been worried sick about you!"

She blinked forward, and Genji abruptly had an armful of enthusiastic young woman, hugging him with her arms around his neck. Since he'd expected it, he was braced for the impact and kept his feet, hugging her in turn. "It's good to see you well," he said, allowing real warmth to show in his voice.

Tracer pulled back to arm's length, looking up at him with a laugh. "Wow, Winston wasn't kidding, you really have changed! You're so... ugh, if I say 'happy' it makes it sound like you were always moping like a wet emo lump back then... I mean, you kinda _were_ , but... Not that there's anything wrong with that, you certainly had enough reason to be miserable, and... I'm just digging myself deeper and deeper, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are," he agreed, chuckling. Her jaw dropped, and he placed one metal finger beneath her chin and closed it gently. "Careful, or you'll swallow a fly."

He couldn't blame her for gaping. Laughter wasn't a sound he'd been known for, in his Blackwatch days. She'd probably never even seen him smile before. Thinking of it that way drove home how badly he'd been dragging around back then, stewing in his own hatred and need for vengeance. She was right, he was far happier now.

Shaking herself vigorously, Tracer got hold of her astonishment. "Well, it suits you, is all I'm saying," she made a valiant attempt to recover. "But! I've got great news. I've been practicing and practicing, and this time I'm _sure_ it'll work. Whaddya say? Wanna give it another try?"

It had been so long, it took Genji a moment to figure out what she was talking about. When she'd first been learning to utilize the 'glitches' in the chronal tech that kept her anchored in time, Tracer had theorized that since she could rewind her body to a previous state, she might be able to project the effect onto other things. She'd been bound and determined to find a way to rewind _him_ to before Hanzo had hurt him so badly, when he'd still been human and whole.

Back then, Genji had struggled so hard not to let himself cling to the impossible hope she offered, knowing there was no chance it would ever happen. Yet, like the desperate fool he was, he'd allowed her to try again and again. Each time the disappointment had been greater than the last, leaving him all the more angry and frustrated at the 'abomination' he'd believed himself to be.

"Thank you, but there is no need," he assured her, ruffling her hair. "I am at peace with myself, and have accepted who and what I am. Please, do not trouble yourself over it any further."

"Really?" She cocked one hip out, hand braced on it, and gave him a disbelieving look. "You saying if Mercy came up here and said she'd invented a new biotic nanotech that could completely restore you, one hundred percent for sure, you'd turn her down?"

Would he? Turning to look out over the ocean, Genji considered his answer. "Of course I would love to smell the sea and the flowers again, and taste my favourite foods," he admitted softly. "To feel the sun against my skin, the strain in my muscles as I run and climb." 

To hold a lover against him, savour the warm sensation of another human body, enjoy the pleasures of flesh that had been lost to him along with so much of his body.

Unbidden, his thoughts skipped to a certain cowboy who had also answered the Recall. Jesse was out on a recon mission when Genji and Zenyatta arrived, so he hadn't yet encountered his old teammate. Genji had a great many apologies to make to the man who’d tried so hard to befriend him, and whom Genji had treated with caustic scorn. 

It hadn't truly been Jesse that he was angry with. McCree had reminded Genji far too much of _himself_ , as he'd been before Hanzo turned against him, and the pain of it had constantly rubbed against his already raw emotions. The fact that Jesse had clearly been interested in Genji, and made no secret of that interest, only poured further salt into the wound.

Now Genji hoped they could be friends, as they should have been all along. And if he still had one lingering regret, it was that there was no possibility of anything more than friendship between them. 

Wrenching his thoughts off that dead-end path, he shook his head. "I would love those things, but I no longer _yearn_ for them. I do not require them to feel whole. So thank you, Lena, but please do not feel you must keep trying." He used her proper name, as so few people did, hoping to stress how much it meant to him that she'd continued to try to save him.

Tracer's expression was the oddest blend of pouting delight, as if she couldn't decide whether to be put out at his refusal or gleeful that he was so much happier. "Aw, but I've been practicing hard for _years_ ," she protested, making puppy eyes up at him. "One last go, for old time's sake? Just so I can say it wasn't all a waste. And if it does work, yay! Bonus."

Chuckling again, he gave in. Genji had no doubt this attempt would fail, as all the others had. Winston had insisted that it would be all but impossible for her to ever pull it off, and now she had many more years to try to rewind him through. 

But she was so earnest and sincere, and he couldn't blame her for not wanting to waste so much hard work. "All right. _One_ last time, if it will make you feel better. No more, after this."

"Cross my heart and hope to die," she intoned solemnly, making an 'X' gesture over her chest. "But we won't _need_ another shot, 'cause this one's gonna work. Er, you might wanna take a deep breath."

Bracing her hands on his shoulders, she followed her own advice and drew in a huge breath, then held it as she squinched her eyes shut and concentrated fiercely. Light flared from her chronal accelerator, so bright he had to look away, and blue hazed the air around them both. She started to... vibrate wasn't quite the right word, but it was the closest he could come.

Then _he_ started to not-vibrate, and it rattled his teeth in his skull. Genji tried to suck in a breath, but his lungs seized up and refused to work. _Everything_ seized up; his mechanical heart stopped beating, his cybernetic limbs locked in place, and every fibre of real muscle that remained tensed up into a giant knot of pain.

Genji tried to call it off, to warn her that something was wrong, but his voice was as frozen as the rest of him. The world started to spin as lack of air took its toll - no, it was _literally spinning_ , images whirling around him as he stood in place, helpless as a fly in a spider's web. Straining to shout, struggle, do _anything_ , Genji watched oblivion approaching in silent horror.

Reality slammed into him with the force of a tsunami, staggering him. Genji gasped desperately, and nearly choked as a wave of scent smacked him hard enough to make him lose his breath all over again. Brine, grass, pollen, flowers, dirt, limestone... it was overwhelming, his scrambled brain unable to separate one smell from the next. 

When he forced his eyes open, the sun was far too bright, making his eyes water painfully. Even accounting for the tears, the world was blurry, as if his eyes were damaged. It felt like he could hardly focus enough to see Tracer standing before him, mouth open as she gaped at him, looking as startled as he felt.

Then her face lit up in a smile bigger than any he'd seen from her before. "Awww, lookit you! What a cutie! Toldja it'd work!"

Work? Cutie? Dazed, Genji stared at her, trying to process the words into something that would make sense to his addled brain. His legs wobbled and his knees gave out, sending him crashing to the ground. Tracer grabbed at him to try to break his fall, but she was tiny and he was heavy, and Genji's ass hurt when it hit the unforgiving stone.

His ass hurt...

But there were no pain receptors in the cybernetic parts of his body, just pressure and tactile sensors to allow him to move and hold things...

But his _ass hurt_ , and his palms felt scraped where they'd impacted the ground, and when he lifted them to look he saw raw flesh, tiny beads of blood pooling in a few places, on _both hands_...

Crying out, Genji pressed his hands to his face, feeling smooth, whole skin beneath his fingertips. No mask, no metal jaw, no scars or burns. 

His eyes weren't damaged, they were _human_ , more limited than the advanced cybernetic replacements Overwatch had given him. His fall hadn't been due to the failure of robotic parts, but because his _human legs_ were weak with shock. His ass and hands hurt from the impact because they weren't made of unfeeling, unyielding metal, but soft, fragile _human flesh_ , and therefore easily injured.

He was fully human.

 _He was human_.

Vaguely he became aware that someone was talking to him, high-pitched and frantic. "Genji? Love? Are you okay? Talk to me!" Tracer. She was crouched next to him, hands still braced on his shoulders, brown eyes wide and shining with worry. 

Genji tried, but in his shock he couldn't remember a single word of English. Hell, he could barely get anything out in Japanese. "Impossible. This is impossible. I'm... I'm dreaming. Or hallucinating. This can't be real."

"Ooooh crap." Tracer's concern shifted to dread, and she pressed a hand over her mouth. "I didn't rewind your brain along with your body, did I? Bloody hell, that never even occurred to me. Uh, can you still speak English? Speak English?" She repeated the last two words slower and louder, as though that would help if he didn't know the language.

Digging deep, Genji summoned the immense willpower that had kept him alive after his fight with Hanzo, helped him survive long enough for Angela to save him, and allowed him to stubbornly live with the pain of his cybernetic body all these years. Gathering his wits, he forced himself to think about what he needed to do if this _was_ real.

Actually, it was the same thing he needed to do if it was a delusion - seek medical help. He managed one coherent word. "Mercy."

"Mercy?" Tracer stared at him. "Genji, I'm your friend! You don't need to beg, I'm not gonna hurt you."

Gritting his teeth, he tried again. " _Get_. Mercy." 

"Oh! Ooh, yeah, that's probably a good idea, huh?" Abashed, Tracer jumped to her feet, and made a pushing gesture at him with her hands. "Stay _right_ there. I'll be back in a flash!" 

Blue hazed around her once more, but instead of zipping off, she staggered and nearly tripped. Her accelerator sparked wildly, and the acrid stench of burning electronics swept through the air. Tracer looked queasy, one hand pressed to the accelerator core. 

"Bollocks, that's not..." She flickered, in and out of sight the way she did in battle, but it was clearly unintentional because she kept talking in broken fragments as if she didn't realize it was happening. "...might have to... Winston and..." 

Panic bloomed in her expression as Tracer realized she was blinking. " _Shite_ , I'm gonna..." Whatever she said next was lost in static, but he saw her start to run for the Watchpoint before she disappeared entirely.

Whatever she'd done to rewind him must have damaged her systems. Genji fervently hoped Winston would be able to restore her again, because if his miracle cost her the ability to stay synced with time, it wasn't worth it.

Panting, Genji took stock of himself. He felt as weak as a newborn kitten, his muscles limp as udon noodles. He was shivering, probably from intense shock - though the stiff breeze coming in off the ocean wasn't helping, he realized a moment later. He was dressed in light clothing, shorts and a t-shirt with a video game logo on the front. He remembered the shirt; he'd won it at the arcade in Hanamura, not long before his disastrous battle with Hanzo.

The mingled scents in the air were still so overwhelming it was hard to make himself draw a full breath. His skin felt hyper-sensitive, his mind no longer used to this amount of input from nerves all over his body. Pulling his knees up to his chest, Genji wrapped his arms around them and buried his face against his legs, trying to shut out as much of the sensory overload as he could.

There was no way in hell he could make it back down to the base on his own. He'd have to hope Tracer was able to manifest long enough for Winston to realize she needed help, and then she'd be able to tell them about him.

Cold. He was _so cold_. Genji had spent years in the highest reaches of Nepal, should have been well inured to far colder temperatures, but he couldn't stop shivering. At the same time it felt like the sun was burning every inch of exposed skin, the heat unfamiliar after so long. 

"Hey, there. You okay?"

Someone was talking to him again. Not Tracer; this voice was much deeper, with a drawl that drew out the words until they seemed far too long, like the owner of the voice was caressing each syllable and didn't want to let go. The sound was familiar, but Genji was in too much shock to process anything, and he couldn't make sense of it.

Something warm and scratchy settled over his shoulders, heavy fabric weighing down his limbs and sheltering his fragile human flesh. New scents enveloped him; the earthiness of wool, the tang of gunpowder, and nearly overwhelming all the rest, the smoky scent of burnt tobacco.

Though he'd never smelled the combination before, one image sprang instantly to Genji's mind by association. He lifted his head and forced his eyes to focus.

Sure enough, Jesse McCree crouched next to him, tucking in the edges of the ragged red blanket he'd wrapped around Genji. The cowboy was as uncouth as ever - more so, his beard grown truly wild, skin turned dark and tough from too much exposure to wind and sun, hat battered and beaten around the edges. But his eyes were the same, gentle and kind as he looked down at Genji with deep concern.

"You with me?" Jesse asked, when he saw Genji was looking. Unable to speak, Genji nodded, and Jesse patted his shoulder. "Looked like you were half frozen to death, but it's balmy as spring in the desert out here."

"Sh-shock," Genji managed. He huddled into the blanket, grateful for the warmth and shelter, but most of all glad he wasn't alone.

"Shit, you injured?" Concern morphed to outright worry, and Jesse tipped his hat back. "I'll run down to the base and get the doc, but is there somethin' I can bind up or help with first?"

"Tracer..." None of the rest of the explanation came out, and Genji groaned. If Jesse went to get help, he needed to know that Winston was required, too.

Unfortunately, Jesse interpreted the single word in the worst possible way. "Ah. Well, the kid'll get Mercy here plenty faster than I could, so we'll just sit tight for now. Talk to me if you can, it'll keep you focused. I’m Jesse McCree."

In a morning full of things that made no sense, this one took the cake. Genji stared at him, beyond confused. Why was Jesse introducing himself as if Genji wouldn't recognize him? The cowboy hadn't changed _that_ much.

But Genji had.

A fit of laughter overtook him as Genji realized the truth. _Jesse didn't recognize him_. 

Of _course_ not. McCree hadn’t known Genji before he'd nearly been killed, had never even seen him with his mask off. There was no reason for him to think the perfectly human Japanese man sitting beside him was his cyborg former teammate.

The laughter was verging on hysterical, and would probably get a lot worse very quickly, but Genji couldn't have stopped if his life depended on it.


	2. Chapter 2

The poor guy Jesse found up on the cliff was an absolute wreck, huddled in on himself and shaking with stress or shock or something. Jesse had no idea what the young man was doing there, or even who he was - some other former Overwatch agent who'd answered the Recall that Jesse had never met, probably. Or maybe a new friend of Tracer's that she'd brought on board. Whoever he was, he was in bad straits, and Jesse didn't know what to do.

Especially when the kid started laughing, the sound edging on hysterical and getting closer to that line with every second. Jesse wasn't sure what was so damn funny about his name, but he suspected it was more a reaction of emotional stress than actual humour.

"Hey, now," he protested, alarmed when the young man started gasping between gales of laughter, like he couldn't get enough air. "Take it easy, kid. Don't pass out on me." For some reason that comment made the guy laugh _harder_.

Giving up on talking, Jesse braced his right hand on the back of the guy's neck and pushed his head down. The kid got the idea, burying his face against his legs to try to stop himself from hyperventilating, but continued to shake with laughter and chills.

A soft singing noise filled the air, and Jesse looked up to see a golden streak gliding straight up the mountain. Mercy, the Valkyrie suit's wings fully extended as she flew at top speed. He’d never been so grateful to see the doctor in his life. "Help's on the way," Jesse encouraged the kid. "Hang in there, you'll be right as rain in no time."

Mercy touched down, Valkyrie's wings folding into resting position at her back. She stared at the young man wrapped in Jesse's serape, her eyes wide and one hand pressed over her mouth. "Mein Gott. This is impossible."

Jesse had no clue what the hell put that look on the doc’s face. He still hadn't even seen an injury on the stranger. "He started laughin' like that a minute ago, hasn't stopped since. Dunno what set him off."

"He... he..." The kid was giggling too hard to speak easily, and his heavy accent didn't help any. It sounded a lot like Genji's used to, and the guy did look Asian, so Jesse assumed he was Japanese. "He doesn't... know who... I am..." He dissolved in laughter again, tears of hilarity leaking from his eyes.

"Should I?" Jesse tipped his hat back, trying to get a better look, but the guy was curled up tight.

Mercy ignored them, sinking to her knees in front of the huddled young man and bracing him by the shoulders. "Breathe," she ordered, her tone stern. When he kept laughing, her voice turned sharp. "Genji, focus! Breathe, long and slow. Calm yourself before you pass out."

" _Genji_?" Jesse repeated, jaw dropping. He stared at the kid, then at Mercy, then back. "You're fuckin' having me on. That is _not_ Genji." Whole and human... shit, he _did_ look kinda vaguely familiar around the eyes now that Mercy had him sitting up again, but... fuck, surely not...

"You're not helping," Mercy said, giving Jesse a dirty look. "Listen to the sound of my voice, Genji. Breathe in... breathe out. In... out. That's it."

"The hell _happened_?" Jesse demanded, still not believing. It couldn't be some kind of miracle cure Mercy had come up with, or she wouldn't be so astonished to see the transformation.

"From what I was able to gather, Tracer rewound him somehow," Mercy said, sounding like she didn't quite believe it either. "She's gotten badly disassociated again, it's hard to get much out of her, but Winston's working on it so hopefully we'll have more details soon. She did indicate that she wasn't certain if his mind might have been reset as well. Genji? Do you recognize us?"

"I know who you are," Genji - fucking _Genji_ , with a human voice and face and body - looked up at them. His eyes shone with barely suppressed tears, but he was finally getting hold of himself. "I'm not missing any memories... I don't think. The last thing I remember is arriving here after answering the Recall, and then Tracer rewinding me."

"That's right." Mercy sounded relieved. "Thank god. You're going to have more than enough shock to deal with, without throwing years of amnesia on top of the physical transformation."

"I still think y’all are pullin' my leg," Jesse said, but he grew less certain by the second. There was no reason for them to go this far to prank him. And damn but the kid _did_ have that familiar shape to his eyes, even if they were perfectly normal brown set in healthy flesh instead of glowing red surrounded by scarred tissue. 

"Are you sure you want me to prove who I am?" A sly smile tilted up the corners of Genji's lips. "Because all the stories I know that Mercy wouldn't are probably ones you don't want me sharing. Like what you _really_ said to that Countess in Venice that got you fired from your cover job..."

"All right, all right," Jesse broke in hastily, heat flushing across his cheeks. "That's enough, I believe you." He had to, because the only people who knew that particular story were his former teammates. Nor did he want Mercy hearing about it now.

But it was still fucking impossible, damn it. 

Though, damn, that smile looked good on Genji. Hell, anything would look good on that face - too pretty to be merely 'handsome', but too strong to be feminine. Gorgeous, was what he was, in a wild and teasing way. 

"This is..." Mercy shook her head, apparently beyond words. "Miracle doesn't begin to describe it. I need to get you to the infirmary, do a complete scan to ensure there's no lingering damage."

"I'm not sure I can walk," Genji admitted, amusement fading as he looked down at his restored body. "I'm going to have to relearn how to function all over again." 

Genji pulled his hands out from beneath the serape, staring like he’d never seen them before. Jesse stared too. The flesh was tan and smooth, with a few tiny marks from nicks and cuts here and there, but none of the deep, ragged scarring that had marred what remained of his body when he was a cyborg. 

"I can't believe this is real." Genji’s voice was choked, and Jesse suspected the poor guy was about an inch from breaking down entirely, in tears this time.

Who could blame him? No wonder he'd been shaking with shock when Jesse found him. Jesse tried to imagine how he'd feel if his left arm suddenly regrew, and even that thought was overwhelming. Yes, the cybernetic limb was pretty damn good, but it wasn't the same as a real one. Not even close. To lose your whole damn _body_ and then get it back... it was a wonder Genji was coherent at all.

"I'll help you," Jesse offered, crouching next to his old teammate again, and offering his hand. "Wrap your arm around my neck, and I'll be your crutch. Or if that don't work, I can try carrying you, though it might have to be over my shoulder. You've got a bit too much muscle for me to do it bridal style." He grinned, hoping to make Genji laugh and chase away some of the tears.

It worked, and this time Genji's laugh was a lot more normal sounding. "If I have to be carried outright, we're probably better off getting Winston up here," he pointed out. "But we'll try it your way, first."

He accepted Jesse's hand, and let himself be hauled to his feet. It was immediately obvious that he wasn't going to stay there without help, so Jesse quickly wrapped his arm around Genji's waist, supporting him. Genji slung his arm over Jesse's shoulders as suggested, and between the two of them, they managed to get the ninja moving toward the path.

Genji stumbled along beside him, legs and feet uncoordinated and clumsy. He had a death grip on Jesse's shoulder, and his face was pale and strained with the effort of not tripping over himself.

"There, now," Jesse encouraged him, when they paused for a breather at the base of the mountain, before finishing the trek to the infirmary wing. "You're startin' to get the hang of it again, I think."

"You must have spent the last years surrounded only by toddlers, if you believe that I look in any way capable of walking," Genji retorted, but he was grinning broadly as he said it.”My mind keeps fighting my muscle memory. This is almost as bad as learning to walk with the cybernetics in the first place.”

Jesse wasn't sure if all this smiling had been a regular occurrence hidden by the mask, but he was pretty sure it was a new thing. Genji had always had a sly and rather caustic sense of humour, but this cheerful teasing was unfamiliar. Jesse wondered if Genji had changed that much in the years they'd been apart, or if it was purely an effect of the transformation.

Once they made it to the infirmary, Jesse eased Genji down to sit on the examination table as Mercy bustled around setting up equipment. "Okay, there?" Jesse asked, steadying Genji as he wobbled. "Can you sit up all right?"

"I can manage." Genji's brows drew together in a scowl of concentration, a look that was almost adorable on him without the intimidation factor of his mask and cyborg body. 

"Out you go, Jesse," Mercy declared, her tone brooking no argument. "Thank you for bringing him down, but I need to do a thorough examination."

"McCree can stay." When both Mercy and Jesse turned to stare at Genji's declaration, the ninja flushed and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. Jesse would never have thought to see him so sheepish and abashed. "Just in case you need me to move again, and I require help."

It was a pretty flimsy excuse, seeing as how Genji was already on the scanning table. Jesse assumed the other man was even more emotionally unsteady than he was physically, and wanted the familiar, friendly face around. Hell, not like Jesse was going to complain. "Happy to oblige."

Mercy was smiling, a fond and almost secretive expression. "Very well. Strip to the waist, please."

"What, you don't want me to take the pants off, too?" Genji teased, flirting. Yet another thing Jesse had never thought he would witness. The banter was lighthearted, not serious, but still. 

"If your legs are present and functioning at all, then clearly they are fully healed," Mercy replied dryly. "I'm more concerned about the various internal organs that were damaged or replaced outright. If Tracer somehow rewound your outer body but didn’t consider the inside, it would be very bad."

Sobered, Genji nodded and reached for the serape Jesse had wrapped around him. He set it aside on the table, then grabbed the hem of his t-shirt in both hands. He started to yank it up over his head, arms crossed, and promptly got tangled in it when his coordination failed him. He struggled for a moment, then pleaded, "Little help?" 

Grinning, Jesse caught a handful of the shirt and hauled it the rest of the way over Genji's head. "The next few days are going to give me blackmail and teasing fodder for the rest of our lives, aren't they."

"Probably." Genji was far from unhappy about the prospect, if the size of his smile was any indication. 

Jesse got a bit distracted from the smile when he stepped back to set the shirt down, and found himself confronted with what was possibly the most toned, chiselled chest he'd ever seen. Genji had always been muscled - what was left of him, at any rate - and Jesse had sort of known in the back of his mind that the ninja was probably in fantastic shape before the battle with his brother.

Seeing was very different from knowing. 

Despite his best efforts not to stare, Jesse's gaze lingered on the sharply defined curves of the ninja's abs - six-pack nothing, the man had a fucking _twelve_ -pack. A fine layer of sweat clung to his bronze skin, giving it a golden sheen in the bright light of the infirmary, and Jesse's mind was suddenly occupied with the thought of licking the moisture right off him. 

With effort, Jesse wrenched his mind away from that forbidden path. He'd made it clear early on that he was willing and interested in his brooding teammate, and Genji had made it equally clear that the interest was unwelcome. Jesse wasn't a man who would press his suit where it was unwanted.

But nothing stopped him from _thinking_ about it, all those years. Now he had plenty of new fodder for his fantasies, and he was greatly disappointed that Mercy hadn't wanted the shorts off too.

She'd been busy with the scanner while Jesse drooled. Genji sat quietly, hands clenched on the edge of the table, waiting for the verdict. Only the white colour of his knuckles betrayed his nervousness. 

On impulse, Jesse clapped his hand on the other man's shoulder, offering comfort and support. It got him a startled, pleased look in response, rather than the growl he'd have earned for that move in their Blackwatch days.

“Is there any chance this could wear off?” Genji had a little quiver in his voice, like he was trying to be nonchalant and couldn’t manage it. No matter how convincing he’d been, Jesse didn’t think anybody would be fooled into thinking _that_ question wasn’t life or death important to him.

“Nothing altered by Tracer’s chronal anomalies has ever reverted spontaneously,” Mercy reassured him. “When damaged clothes are repaired by a rewind, they remain unchanged even after she removes them, for example. There is no reason to believe this is anything other than permanent.”

Some of the tension drained out of Genji, his shoulder slumping beneath Jesse’s grip. Jesse squeezed harder, barely able to imagine what an emotional rollercoaster the poor guy was on.

When she was finished, Mercy stood shaking her head, smile wider than ever. "As far as I can determine, you're a perfectly healthy young man, approximately in his early twenties. Not the fountain of youth treatment I'd recommend for most, but in your case, it seems to have been successful."

"I'm actually twenty again?" Genji laughed. "Good thing my brain _didn't_ rewind. I was a lazy, self-indulgent brat at this age. I wouldn't have..." A loud, long gurgle interrupted him. Red swept over his cheeks, and he pressed a hand against his stomach, looking astonished. "Uh. Sorry. I guess I was hungry at the moment Tracer brought me back to. Then again, I seem to remember always being hungry."

"Given the amount of calories you undoubtedly burn through on a regular basis, I'm not surprised," Mercy replied, amused. "There's no reason you can't eat and drink, but go easy at first. Small amounts, and bland foods. Nothing rich or heavy. Understand?"

"Yes, Angela." Genji's smile was too innocent and earnest - Jesse knew his teammate well enough to realize that 'innocent' was simply not a word that ever applied. The man was a ninja and a mobster, after all.

Rolling her eyes, Angela made a shooing gesture at him. "If you ignore me and end up sick, don't bother looking to me for sympathy. If you _listen_ and end up sick, however, contact me immediately." Then she spoiled the scolding by smiling and adding, "Enjoy yourself. Just not too much!"

Taking his shirt from Jesse, Genji struggled his way back into it. He managed on his own this time, and he was grinning again as his head popped out. He looked at Jesse. "Do you mind helping me some more?"

"I'm happy to be your ride for as long as you need," Jesse assured him. How could he refuse, when it was such a treat to see the man so happy and relaxed?

And any further chances he got to see Genji without his shirt on would be a definite bonus.


	3. Chapter 3

Genji felt like he was finally getting a handle on his human body again by the time they reached the mess hall. His steps were steadier, and he was leaning on Jesse for balance rather than actual support. It seemed that muscle memory was finally winning the battle; though his mind was now used to his cyborg body, he'd lived in his human one a lot longer. 

"Guess getting your body restored is like riding a bike," he commented with some humour. "It comes back to you."

"I wouldn't go diving into any martial arts tournaments just yet," Jesse replied, grinning back at him. "Though it would surely be entertaining to watch. You're cute like this, you know. Giddy as a newborn foal."

"Cute!" Genji made a face. "That makes me sound like a highschool girl." He cocked his head, and added thoughtfully, "Giddy, I will acknowledge. I feel like I'm high. Literally high, floating. I didn't realize how _heavy_ my cyborg body was."

"You're plenty heavy," Jesse chuckled as he eased Genji down to sit at one of the tables. 

Looking around curiously, Genji studied the massive room. Designed to handle an entire base's population, it was now echoing and empty, except for one corner where Winston had set up some screens to create a cozier space. There was a food dispenser on the nearest wall, and the blinking lights indicated it was working. "I've never been in here, before. It must have been so loud when it was full."

"Felt like you might go deaf if you didn't plug your ears, sometimes," Jesse agreed. " _Never_? At any base? What'd you do, always eat in your room so nobody'd see you take the mask off?"

"McCree, I didn't have a _stomach_ ," Genji replied, and the cowboy winced. "I couldn't eat or drink at all, and coming in here would have been rubbing salt in the wound. I had nutrient feeds, essentially permanent IV drips, as part of my cybernetic systems. Not like I required a lot of calories, since little of my actual body was left."

"I didn't realize it was as bad as all that," Jesse said, subdued. "I mean, I knew it was _bad_ , but I guess I figured everything from the hips up had to still _be_ there. How'd you survive long enough to get to Angie?"

"My organs were there at first, but so damaged she had to replace everything below the chest." Genji shrugged. It no longer actively bothered him, and he certainly didn't loathe his body the way he once had. But now that he had his human self back, the very thought of his cyborg existence made him want to shudder. 

"Well then, you're past due for a good hot meal," Jesse declared firmly. "What d'you wanna eat?"

"I..." Nothing else came out. Genji felt dazed all over again, his mind cycling in a dizzying whirl through all of his favourite foods. Everything he’d thought he would never taste again. Oyakodon. Tonkatsu. Omurice. Mochi. Food was one of the things he'd had to learn not to think about, a loss he'd obsessed over until Zenyatta helped him find peace.

Every time he believed the full impact of his miraculous transformation had hit him and he was starting to adjust, Genji found another precious thing that he'd lost and had returned to him.

Warmth covered his hand, rough callus scraping against the skin of Genji's knuckles, grounding him back in the present. He blinked and found Jesse giving him a sympathetic look. 

"Prob'ly best to start with somethin' simple, like the doc said," Jesse suggested. "Athena? What's a good Japanese comfort food? Their version of chicken noodle soup?"

"Chazuke would likely be a good option," the AI replied. "Would you prefer it made with ocha or dashi, Agent Shimada?"

"Dashi," Genji replied. The broth would have a more subtle taste than tea as the base, and he had a feeling _any_ flavour was going to overwhelm him at the moment.

There was a soft hum as the food synthesizer worked, manipulating base proteins and other vat-grown molecules to replicate the requested dish. Genji had never liked the machines much; real food _always_ tasted better, and the synthesizers couldn’t do anything complicated. But the Vishkar technology had saved the world from starvation and made sense in a situation like this, where there was no longer an army of cooks to staff the huge mess hall.

Jesse kindly brought the tray over. Trying to conceal the way his hand trembled, Genji spooned some of the steaming broth and soaked rice into his mouth.

The subtle flavours burst over his tongue, as rich and overwhelming as any highly spiced curry. Angela had been right to warn him to take it easy. Genji nearly choked on the soft mouthful, couldn't seem to breathe. To his horror, he realized it was because tears were obscuring his vision and making his nose stuffed up. 

Dropping the spoon, he hid his face in his hands, overcome. He felt shame and embarrassment for falling apart so easily, but who could blame him?

Not Jesse, apparently. Once again the warm, scratchy fabric descended over Genji's back, sheltering and comforting. This time it was accompanied by the gentle pressure of Jesse's hands, steadying his shaking shoulders. The deep scents of gunpowder and tobacco enveloped Genji again, smells he was rapidly coming to associate with pleasure and reassurance.

"Easy, there," Jesse murmured, tone as soothing as if he was trying to coax a wild animal to eat from his hand. "Stop beatin' yourself up for reacting to everything, Genji. You don't gotta do the strong, stoic ninja thing all the time, y'know. There's nobody here to see you be human but your friends, and we ain't gonna judge."

"Are we? Friends?" Swallowing hard, Genji lifted his head to look into Jesse's kind, caring eyes. The sympathetic expression nearly broke him all over again, but the wash of shame was mitigated this time by tingling pleasure at the thought. "Even after how badly I treated you back then?"

"Well, I sure as hell think so," Jesse confirmed. "Pretty sure Mercy’s always considered you one, too. I know Tracer does. It's nice that you recognize what an ass you used to be, though."

The last comment drew a smile from Genji. "I was," he acknowledged. "The first thing I planned to do when I saw you again was apologize, but, well..." He made a gesture to encompass his new/old body. "I kind of got sidetracked. Thank you, McCree." He hesitated, then asked, "Is the offer still open to call you Jesse?"

He'd refused that step of extra intimacy, no matter how many times Jesse had insisted. Yet he'd never once objected to Jesse calling _him_ by given name, and had been secretly glad the other man had refused to give up on making friends no matter how Genji pushed him away.

The delighted smile Jesse gave him now was all the forgiveness Genji could have asked for. "Course you can. 'Bout damn time. How you feeling, darlin’? Up to eating some more?"

Though he knew Jesse didn't mean the 'darling' any more than Tracer meant it literally when she called him 'love', the endearment still sent a flush of warmth through Genji. "Yeah." He leaned his weight against Jesse's shoulder, not because he needed the support but because he hoped Jesse would stay there beside him, instead of retreating to the other side of the table again.

Thankfully Jesse seemed to get the message, because he stayed put. He also left his blanket around Genji's shoulders, having apparently decided that Genji needed the warmth. He wasn't wrong. Turning back to his first meal in over a decade, Genji set to eating with a will, determined to savour every bite.

* * *

Like every single thing Genji had done that day, the simple act of lying down on a bed was an unimaginable pleasure. 

The last time he'd slept at a Watchpoint, his cybernetic systems needed to be hooked directly into various machines to cycle out waste products and bring in nutrients and fuel. Torbjorn had built him a sort of brace, allowing him to sit upright with no effort, and he'd learned to sleep that way. Since then his cyborg body had been improved to the point that it was much more self-sufficient, and didn't have all the wires and connections trailing from his head and spine, so he'd at least been able to lie down.

But the soft embrace of the mattress, the heavy weight of the covers draped over his nude body, were new experiences again. Genji sprawled out over the bed the way he used to do on his futon, lying on his stomach with his head turned on the pillow, occupying the whole space with his outflung limbs.

It was pure heaven.

He continued to alternate between grinning like a lunatic and random bursts of overemotional tears, though he was finally getting the latter under control. Fuck, even using the toilet had been amazing - if somewhat awkward - and soaking up to his chin in a hot bath was practically a religious experience.

At least after that first meal, he hadn't cried again in front of anyone else. Jesse might not judge him for it, but Genji was embarrassed by his utter inability to regulate himself. Even for him, who had frustrated his father and later his brother with his refusal to contain his emotions in the traditional Japanese manner, this was truly excessive.

What would Hanzo think to see him now? His brother had been shocked enough to discover Genji was alive. Would this restoration help ease some of Hanzo's guilt for the horrible act he'd committed so long ago? Should Genji seek him out again, let him know what had happened?

Not yet. Definitely not until he was strong enough to fight, in case Hanzo reacted with predictable anger. Eventually Genji hoped that Hanzo would be able to release his guilt enough to accept Genji's forgiveness, but until then, he was more likely to be greeted with a volley of arrows rather than open arms.

Snuggling deeper into the bed, Genji curled a hand around the single non-Overwatch-issue item in the room, other than his discarded clothes. The scratchy wool of Jesse's red blanket should have been uncomfortable against his over-sensitive skin, but Genji revelled in the sensation. Jesse hadn't asked for it back, and Genji had no intention of returning the item until it was requested. It had become his security blanket, something he could use to help anchor himself when everything got too overwhelming.

It also smelled like Jesse, and Genji was becoming addicted to his favourite scent in the world. Jesse suited the smoky aroma, even more rough and tumble than Genji remembered him. Ragged around the edges, with his pride and belief in others battered and bruised, but holding on to the strong core of loyalty that Genji had always admired in the man.

Closing his eyes, Genji pictured Jesse, unkempt and dishevelled. It was so easy to take that a step further, imagine him stripping down. Shedding his protective armour, opening up the shirt beneath and peeling it off. Jesse had never been body shy around his teammates, and Genji had snuck many looks at the cowboy's toned torso. 

He was eternally fascinated by how much _texture_ the American had, skin smooth in some places and roughened by hair in many others, scattered scars creating ridges and dips against the curve of the muscles. Jesse wasn't as shredded as the martial arts masters Genji was used to being around, nor even as much as Reyes with his supersoldier enhancements, but he was far from lacking in the muscle department.

On the frequent occasions when Genji wallowed in regret for everything he'd lost, he'd imagined what it would be like to rub his nude body against Jesse's, feel all that texture stimulate his nerves. Would the curls on the cowboy's chest be soft and silky, or crisp and springy? How would gun callus, different from sword callus, scrape against Genji's much smoother body? Would his big, rough hands completely encompass the length of Genji's cock, if he'd still had one?

He had one now, and it was rising in response to his heated thoughts. Startled, Genji moaned into his pillow, hips stuttering in jerky motions that drove his hardening cock against the mattress. It felt _so good_ , a flood of sensation even more overwhelming than everything else today had been. 

Breathing hard already, he rolled over and reached down to wrap his right hand around his cock. He had to bite his lip against a cry of pleasure, his whole body shuddering in reaction. It had been so long, he'd forgotten how good even this simple act could be. 

Heat sang through his body as he stroked the shaft slowly, electricity sparking over his nerves and lighting up his brain. Trembling, Genji rubbed his thumb over the head, picking up the moisture already leaking from the slit, and his eyes rolled back as he moaned.

How good was the soundproofing in here? They'd all taken over the abandoned officer's quarters, because why the hell not, so Genji had no idea. The quarters he'd been assigned at the Blackwatch base had paper-thin walls; he'd been able to hear nearly every sound his two neighbours made. 

One of those neighbours was Jesse, and the cowboy suffered no lack of intimate company when he'd wanted it. Genji had listened to his teammate having sex, mind spinning with images of himself in place of whatever man or woman Jesse brought home. 

Shutting out the unfamiliar voices, he'd sometimes pretended that Jesse was moaning those endearments and curses at _him_. Even on the nights when Jesse had no company but his own hand, Genji would listen and yearn and hate what Hanzo had made of him all the more.

It had been utter torture, driving him crazy with desire for the closeness and intimacy that he could never have again. 

Except now he could.

Jesse was still in the room beside him. Would he hear Genji moaning with wanton desire as he fisted himself? Would it turn the cowboy on to listen to those sounds of arousal? Would _he_ imagine himself over here, his hand the one giving Genji such pleasure, stifling his cries with hot lips and plunging tongue?

Pulling the red blanket close with his free hand, Genji buried his face in it, inhaling deeply of the other man's scent. Pretending the rough wool was Jesse's skin, Genji rubbed it over his face and chest, the rasp of texture making him hyper aware of every inch of contact. His groin tightened, balls pulling up as everything inside him wound up, then exploded in orgasm. He muffled his cry in the blanket, and hid his slowly leaking tears as well, letting the wool soak up both.

Panting, shivering with stimulation, Genji withdrew his hand. He made a face at the stickiness on his fingers and stomach, having forgotten about that less appealing aspect of jerking off. Snorting in amusement, he used a corner of the sheet to wipe himself off, and added tissues to his already long mental list of things he needed. 

And lube. Definitely lube. Whether there was any chance of him bedding Jesse or not, Genji had every intention of exploring the full range of potential sensations now available to him again. If he had to do it by himself, well, there were plenty of internet sites that sold objects for that exact purpose. 

Much as he enjoyed fantasizing about his sexy teammate - and enjoyed even more finally being able to _act_ on those fantasies - Genji wasn't sure he was ready yet to actually do something about his attraction. He needed to be more settled in himself, better able to handle the intensity of sex, both physical and emotional.

For the first time in his life, he felt shy. Jesse _meant_ something to him, even if it was only as a friend, and Genji didn't want to fuck things up between them. No, he definitely needed to feel ready before he made any moves. 

Until then, he would happily enjoy his own vivid imagination.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't seen 'Arrow' or 'American Ninja Warrior', here's a link to the video of the salmon ladder exercise Genji is doing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuJk69zP0No

It often surprised people when Jesse was up with the dawn, heading out to the practice range to get in some shooting and exercise. Granted, he projected a lazy, laid-back attitude that was more usually associated with slugabeds than early birds, but Jesse had always wondered how his fellow agents thought he'd become the best shot in Blackwatch by lounging around and not working at it. 

In recent years he'd usually been too hungover to be up early much, but being back at a Watchpoint reinvigorated Jesse. He'd hardly touched a drop since he'd arrived at Gibraltar, determined to get back in fighting form so he wouldn't let his fellow Recall agents down. They'd trusted him enough to let him rejoin them, and he wasn't going to fail that trust.

Unfortunately, today it was raining too hard to see a giant bullseye at twenty paces, let alone the little mini-targets Jesse usually practiced with at long range. Reluctantly, he headed for the indoor training area instead, figuring he could at least get some exercise in.

Since the others who'd answered the Recall were the same sort of determined overachievers as Jesse, he wasn't surprised to find the training room already in use. He _was_ surprised to nearly trip over Tracer standing just inside the doorway, staring in rapt fascination at the other side of the room. 

She’d recovered well from her efforts to transform Genji, though it had taken nearly two weeks for Winston to sync the girl up again with real time. Winston had strictly forbidden her from ever repeating the experiment. Jesse would be lying if he claimed he felt no disappointment that she wouldn’t be able to return his arm as well, but it sure as hell wasn’t worth the poor kid’s life to try.

Then Jesse turned his attention in the direction she was looking, and understood why she was standing there staring.

Genji was doing some weird kind of upper body exercise that involved two vertical poles with angled slots, and a horizontal pole that rested on those ledges. Jesse had seen the equipment before, assumed it was a pull-up bar that could be adjusted to different heights - with people ranging in size from diminutive 4’7" Torbjorn to giant 7'4" Reinhardt, adjustable equipment was a must.

But Genji was somehow _jumping_ , creating momentum with the sheer strength of his upper body, taking the horizontal pole with him as he swung it from one notch to the next, climbing the structure. Jesse's abs and arms ached just thinking about the effort that had to take. 

Genji was naked to the waist, body gleaming with sweat, muscles standing out in stark relief as he worked. His whole back was covered with an unbelievably intricate dragon tattoo, and the green lines seemed to twist and twine as his muscles flexed beneath them. It made the dragon look almost alive, ready to leap off his skin and turn into the incredibly dangerous weapon Jesse had seen so many times in battle. 

"How long's he been at that?" Jesse asked in a low murmur, every bit as mesmerized by the sight as Tracer. 

"That's his _eighteenth_ cycle since I started watching," Tracer replied. Her voice was soft too, but not like she was trying to keep Genji from hearing - there was a dreamy quality to it.

Well, who could blame her? Jesse was again feeling the urge to lick the sweat off Genji's toned body, a lot stronger this time. "Thought you weren't into men?"

"I'm a lesbian, not blind," Tracer retorted. "I'd have to be dead not to appreciate how impressive _that_ sight is. I can sigh over all those lovely muscles without wanting to jump on the attached dick as a result." She slid a sly grin Jesse's way that indicated she was perfectly aware of how badly Jesse _did_ want to jump on his former teammate's cock.

Flushing, Jesse rubbed at the back of his head, wishing he had his hat to pull down over his face to hide the blush. Since he'd been planning on exercising, he hadn't bothered with most of his usual getup, just comfortable pants and a t-shirt.

Genji never had returned his serape. Jesse hadn't asked, tickled by the way the ninja clung to the ragged blanket for comfort. Jesse had a little fantasy that Genji snuggled up to it in bed, maybe even rubbed his nose in it to catch Jesse's scent as he jerked off.

Reaching the lowest rung once more, Genji released the bar and landed lightly on his feet. "You guys know I can hear you, right?" His tone was conversational, but his grin was a match for Tracer's. 

The heat already in Jesse's cheeks crept up into his ears. At least Tracer was blushing just as hard, so he wasn't alone in his embarrassment. "How come I never saw you do exercises like that before?" he asked, trying to divert Genji's attention from teasing them.

Shrugging, Genji sauntered over to the benches at the side of the room where he'd left his gear, picking up a towel and mopping off some of the sweat. "There was no point in exercising cybernetic muscles. They weren't going to get any stronger or weaker. I only had to worry about the left arm, and keeping my aim and martial arts form sharp. Now I'm back to full training again."

"Well, you're lookin' great." In the weeks since getting his body back, his recovery had progressed by leaps and bounds, and Jesse was pretty sure the man was in better shape than ever. "Ready for a mission?"

"Hell, yes. Mercy's running the last tests today to clear me for active duty. " Genji bounced on his toes, staying warm - or maybe just unable to stand still. He'd always been so quiet and motionless in Blackwatch, Jesse had been startled to discover how restless and active he was now. Whether it was a return of energy, an increased need for exercise, or sheer overflowing joy, it was rare for Genji not to be moving in some way.

"How 'bout a practice match, then?" Jesse suggested. "Let's see what you got."

Genji stared at him, incredulous. "You're a long range shooter, Jesse. I'd kick your ass with one arm and leg still missing."

"Never said it'd be just me you're fighting," Jesse laughed, tipping his head at Tracer. She grinned like a kid at Christmas. "Two on one. No weapons, just a straight up brawl." Fist fighting wasn't Tracer's specialty, but she was so damn fast and slippery he figured she'd manage all right, and she'd be a good distraction to let Jesse get in close to Genji while the ninja was occupied with her.

"Ah." Genji's eyes gleamed in anticipation. He dropped the towel and strode to the middle of the room. Settling into a ready stance, he made a 'come at me' gesture to both of them. 

Tracer rushed forward, disappearing into a streak of blue as she sped herself up. It was damn near impossible to follow her path, but Genji managed, swinging around to lash a kick through the air where she tried to attack him. She dodged, but he followed up with a hand strike to the opposite side, where she'd appeared next, and that one landed on her shoulder. With a cry of pain Tracer jumped back, out of range to give herself a moment to recover.

Jesse took the opening, charging in with what looked like a wild haymaker punch straight at Genji's jaw. The ninja dodged with contemptuous ease, going left as Jesse had expected. He came up from low to high with a left uppercut, and succeeded in startling the other man enough with the feint that he caught Genji square in the solar plexus.

Air whooshed out of Genji, but he moved with the momentum of the blow so it didn't have as much impact as it should have, and stayed on his feet. "Not bad," Genji declared, and Jesse at least had the satisfaction that the ninja sounded winded. Then Genji staggered as Tracer jumped on him from behind, clinging to his back like a burr as she rained punches onto his neck and shoulders.

Laughing, he flipped forward into a roll that dislodged her and sent her flying. Jesse took the opportunity for a kick that Genji somehow avoided, and in the next moment the ninja was back on his feet, attacking in turn. Jesse was forced to retreat, arms crossed in front of him to block blow after lightning blow.

From there Jesse lost track of individual movements, taking any opening that presented itself to him and spending most of his time trying to keep Genji from beating him down. The ninja flowed from punch to kick and back again like living water, moving so fast it seemed he surely must be stealing some of Tracer's time manipulation ability. 

Jesse and Tracer did get a few licks in, but it was no surprise that Genji utterly dominated them in the end. He waited for a moment when Tracer had used her rewind to undo a massive black eye and possible broken nose, an ability she had to allow a few seconds to recharge before she could use it again, then attacked in earnest. A solid kick to her chest sent her flying into the wall, impacting hard enough to knock the wind out of her. She slid down to sit on the ground, wheezing, out of the fight for the moment.

That allowed Genji to turn his full attention on Jesse, and Jesse knew he was screwed. He did his best, but it was only seconds before Genji swept his legs out from under him, tumbling Jesse to the mat. Somehow Jesse managed to hook his feet with Genji's which at least toppled the ninja as well, though Genji landed on top. Before Jesse could even figure out what had happened, Genji deftly flipped Jesse onto his stomach and grappled him into a secure hold. There was no question who had emerged the victor.

There was also no question of the effect it had on Jesse, being tangled up with that strong, sleek, sweaty body. Genji's hands were like iron as they gripped Jesse's wrists, pinning them at the small of his back. His knee was wedged between Jesse's thighs, tight enough to nudge his balls, and Jesse desperately bit back a groan as his cock swelled against the mat in response.

Then he realized he wasn't the only one reacting. Genji's cock pressed against Jesse's ass, hard and demanding as it ground against him. The other man had clearly enjoyed their fight every bit as much as Jesse, and was enjoying this position too. All the breath rushed out of Jesse in a way that had nothing to do with Genji's weight crushing him into the floor. It was all he could do not to buck his hips up, demanding more contact. 

Was it just a reaction to the physical stimulation, or was it possible Genji wanted Jesse, as much as Jesse wanted him? Hell, after so long without any touch at all, it would be small wonder if just about anything could get the poor guy hard. It was probably nothing personal.

But god, Jesse really _wanted_ it to be personal. 

"Oi, I think you cracked my rib there," Tracer complained, hauling herself to her feet. "Nice job, Genji!"

Jesse startled, having forgotten the girl was present in his complete absorption in the feel of Genji against him. The ninja went very still, as if he'd forgotten about her, too.

After the briefest of hesitations, Genji cleared his throat and sat up, releasing Jesse's hands. "You too, Tracer. You've improved since we last fought. Clearly your attempts to rewind me weren't the only thing you've been practicing.”

Jesse sat up more slowly, aware that the tent in his pants would be all too obvious. Thankfully Tracer wasn't looking - possibly deliberately, but he chose to believe she remained cheerfully oblivious. 

"Right, then. I'm off to see the doc,” she declared. “Meet you both in the mess for lunch?"

Climbing to his feet, Jesse dusted himself off, trying to calm down and collect his wits. "Definitely. Genji?" Even after weeks of being able to eat, Genji still savoured every damn bite, and seemed determined to try every single food that Athena was capable of replicating. Jesse loved watching him at it.

Genji shook his head. "Angela said the tests will probably take most of the day. She's going to do the deepest scans possible, just to be _sure_. I'll catch you both later."

"Any time." Now that they were properly friends, Jesse genuinely enjoyed spending time in the ninja's company, and Genji seemed to feel the same. 

Right that moment, however, Jesse had a date with a hot shower and his right hand, because the imprint of Genji's rigid cock against his ass wasn't going to fade any time soon.


	5. Chapter 5

The knock on his door mid-evening caught Jesse by surprise. He'd retired early for the night, wanting to relax and enjoy some solitude. He loved being back at the Watchpoint, having friends and people he could count on again, but every once in a while he liked his peace and quiet. The last thing he'd expected was company.

Figuring nobody would come bother him unless it was important, Jesse pushed up off his bed and made his way to the door. To his surprise, it was Genji standing in the hallway, grin as wide as Texas on his face and bouncing on his toes like he couldn't contain himself. 

"I'm fully cleared for active duty," Genji declared. "Took all damn day, but Angela has ok'd me for anything and everything. Which includes anything I want to eat, such as junk food, and anything I want to drink, such as alcohol. So..." He held up a plate stacked high with little balls of some kind, and a large bottle in the other hand. "I come bearing mochi, and sake. Wanna help me celebrate?"

"Hell, yes," Jesse agreed immediately, and stepped back to let the other man into his room. Solitude be damned, this was a special occasion. 

And Genji had come to _him_ , and him alone. Jesse had expected the man to throw a party for the whole Watchpoint - as a human instead of a cyborg, Genji had turned out to be remarkably social in nature, which made it all the more painfully clear how much the poor guy had been suffering before. There'd probably still be a party eventually, but for tonight, Genji had wanted Jesse to be the one to share in his joy.

"Got no idea what either of those things are, but I'm trusting you," he said with some humour. The officer's quarters he'd commandeered were swanky enough to have a little sitting area separate from the bedroom, with a small entertainment unit and comfy couch. He flung himself down on one end of the couch, gesturing for Genji to join him.

"You've never had sake before?" Genji settled into place with one leg tucked up under him, turned sideways on the seat so he was facing Jesse. "I think you'll like it. Careful, though. It packs more of a punch than it seems to at first."

"I can handle my liquor," Jesse assured him. "What's this stuff?" He picked up one of the little balls, which was much softer and squishier than he'd expected it to be. Sticky, too, though it had been dusted in some kind of fine powder to help keep it from clinging to everything that came into contact with it.

"Pounded rice paste." Genji laughed at the face Jesse involuntarily made. "It's a lot better than it sounds, trust me. It's got different fillings. That one's chocolate - not exactly traditional, but innovation and modernization lead to great things."

Well, chocolate was always good. Jesse popped the ball in his mouth, and chewed. And chewed. It was definitely sticky paste, all right. Sweeter than he'd expected; he'd never have guessed it was rice with no sugar. And the dark chocolate in the middle was delicious. "Huh. Not what I'd have picked for my first junk food in decades, but it's pretty good."

Genji answering smile was as bittersweet as the chocolate. "My family was very traditional. We always had mochi at the New Year, and any time we marked some kind of achievement or milestone. It wouldn't feel like a celebration without it." Picking up one of the balls, he bit it in half, the regret in his eyes fading back into genuine happiness. 

Then he snorted with laughter, hand raised to keep crumbs from spraying. "One time mother and father decided to make the New Year mochi themselves. The old-fashioned way, with a stone bowl and wooden mallet. The experiment did not end well."

Jesse tried hard not to show his shock. This was the first time Genji had spoken of his past or his family in any kind of positive light. Jesse didn't want to react too strongly and scare the guy off from further reminiscing. It was good to know there _had_ been some pleasant times in his life. 

"Lemme guess. Sticky rice paste all over the place?" Jesse grinned at him, picturing a little Genji trotting around with rice gumming his hair up into spikes similar to how he styled it now.

" _Everywhere_ ," Genji confirmed, chuckling. "Mother had to cut a chunk of it out of... of my brother's hair. He'd been growing it for a year to match father's, and he was _so mad_." The slight falter at the mention of his brother was quickly covered by another smile, but this one didn't quite reach his eyes.

Despite knowing it was a sore spot, Jesse had to ask. "How'd it get in _his_ hair, though?" From the little Jesse knew about the other Shimada brother, Hanzo sounded a bit stuck-up and full of himself. If Genji had been old enough to remember the event, Hanzo surely would have been old enough not to get the stuff tangled in his own hair. 

Genji's smile became more genuine, and also took on a distinctly evil quality. "I'm sure I have absolutely no idea."

Jesse laughed. "You were a right little brat, weren't you?"

"Who, me? I was an absolute angel," Genji protested, not even trying to sound believable. He reached for the bottle and two saucers. "Try this. Seriously, though, go easy on it." He poured some clear liquid into both saucers, then handed one to Jesse.

It was a bit awkward to hold, flatter and shallower than any cup Jesse had ever used before, and he tried to copy the way Genji held it between his curved thumb and fingers. "Bottom's up, I guess."

"Kanpai," Genji agreed, and they both tipped the liquor to their mouths.

It was hardly a swallow, but Jesse could feel the smooth burn of it all the way down. Nothing at all like the rotgut whiskey he'd gotten used to, or even the half decent bourbon Jesse had occasionally managed to get his hands on in the past years. He had enough experience with alcohol to be able to tell this was the good stuff - and also that Genji was right about the kick it held. "This real, or replicated?"

"Real. Top shelf." Genji sounded a bit strangled, and his head was bowed in a futile attempt to hide his watering eyes from Jesse. Grinning, Jesse reached over and pounded him on the back, and Genji let loose the cough he'd been trying so hard to suppress. "I'm fine," he protested, and the look on his face was just shy of a pout.

"Aw, nothin' to be ashamed of," Jesse couldn't resist teasing him. "You just ain't used to it no more. You'll get the hang of it again." He ruffled Genji's spiky hair, currently bright green in colour. Grumbling, Genji batted his hand away.

"I can handle it," Genji insisted. As if to prove it, he poured another saucer and tipped it back. He probably had no idea how much he sounded like a teenager who'd been invited to hang with the big boys for the first time, and was determined to look cool. It didn't help that he had the body of a kid barely in his twenties; Jesse kept wanting to think of him that way even though he _knew_ Genji was only a couple of years younger than him.

To his credit, Genji did handle it much better the second time. Too bad, because the flush of embarrassment across his cheeks was adorable as hell. Would have been nice if it had lasted a little longer. Jesse resisted the urge to reach out and rub his thumb over the blush, see if it was as warm as it looked. Find out if the close contact would fluster him, make the blush spread further.

Shaking his head to clear the mental image, Jesse refilled his own saucer. “No regrets about the change? Nothin’ you miss about bein’ a cyborg?” The comment was teasing, but it was also a half serious question. 

“Surprisingly, there are,” Genji admitted. “I can’t see in the dark anymore, or at such long distances, and that’s annoying. I’m not as strong or tireless, though I’m more agile and that helps make up for it. And of course, I’m going to be a lot easier to hurt now.” He shrugged, and tipped the sake bottle this way and that, watching the liquid slosh inside. “I really _had_ made my peace with what I was… but I would never choose to go back, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“I was a little curious.” Jesse grinned at him, and lounged back into the couch. "How 'bout we throw a movie on? Athena, got any recommendations?"

"Based on your individual viewing histories, I would recommend _The Magnificent Seven_ , which was an Old West adaptation of _Seven Samurai_ ," the AI replied. 

Genji blinked. "They made a cowboy movie out of Kurosawa's _Seven Samurai_? This I've got to see." His lips curved in a wicked smirk. "Hanzo loved that movie, called it a classic masterpiece. He'd be _horrified_."

"Sounds like we got a winner," Jesse declared, and Athena put the movie on the screen. He and Genji kicked back, bottle in reach and plate of mochi on the couch between them, and settled in for a good roasting session.

It was everything Jesse had wished he could have with his teammate back in their Blackwatch days. Easy companionship, teasing and fun. Well, maybe not _everything_ he'd wished for. Not with Genji all the way over on the other side of the couch. But he'd take the victories he could get, and count his blessings that Genji was so much happier now.

The mochi grew on Jesse the more he had, and he enjoyed trying the different fillings. Soon enough it was gone, the plate set aside, and somehow they ended up sitting closer together than before. Every time one of them leaned forward to reach for the bottle, the distance closed a little more. By the time the movie ended, they _were_ curled up together, Genji tucked up against Jesse's side with his head on the taller man's shoulder, Jesse's arm stretched out over the back of the couch. 

Genji's lithe body was warm and solid against Jesse's. He smelled faintly of spice, either from something he'd eaten or maybe his soap, and it was enticing. Jesse wanted very much to slide his arm down and skim his hand over Genji's shoulder, trace the corded lines of his neck, maybe dip lower to explore the curves of his muscled chest.

To distract himself, he reached for the bottle, only to find it empty. Disconcerted, Jesse shook it, and didn't hear even a drop. They hadn't drunk _that_ much, had they? It was a pretty big bottle, and Genji wasn't kidding about how hard it hit. Jesse was definitely tipsy, bordering on outright drunk, though he was nowhere near the passed-out state he'd spent so many nights in over the past years.

But he was used to heavy drinking. If _he_ was this far gone... Jesse glanced down at Genji again. This time he saw the flush on the other man's cheeks, the drowsy, dazed look in his eyes, and the fact that he'd edged closer not to snuggle up, but because he needed the support to stay upright. 

"Hoo boy, you are _trashed_ , ain't ya?" Jesse smirked at him. "I oughta be recording this for later blackmail. Bet I could get you to do _something_ embarrassing."

"I'm fine. I used to drink lots more than this." Genji had that careful, overly precise tone that people used when they were trying hard not to slur. It wasn't working very well. 

"The operative words in that sentence are 'used to'," Jesse replied, chuckling. "You're three sheets to the wind and sailing fast into the sunset, darlin'. Maybe you'd best sleep here tonight." 

He honestly didn't know if Genji could walk as far as his own room next door. Even if he could, Jesse thought it would be a good idea to keep the poor guy under observation until he sobered up a bit. Mercy would skin them both if Genji got sick or hurt because they'd been idiots and drunk too much. 

"Depends," Genji said, cocking his head like a curious bird. "We gonna share the bed?"

"Figured I'd let you take it, and I'll doss down on the couch," Jesse assured him, thinking Genji was nervous about getting that intimate. The couch was too short, but Jesse had slept in far worse places. 

To his surprise, Genji looked disappointed, not reassured. He turned and lurched up onto his knees, bracing his hands on Jesse's shoulders to keep himself upright. "Really? Because I was hoping for a lot more than just sleeping. Is that offer you made way back when still open?"

Breathless, Jesse stared at his wet dream come to life, brain scrambling to come up with something coherent. He was half certain he must have fallen asleep during the movie, and none of this was real. "Genji, you're flat out drunk." So was Jesse, but at least he knew _he'd_ wanted this sober, and sure as hell wouldn't regret it in the morning.

Making a rude noise, Genji leaned in closer. "Not so drunk I can't get it up. Especially for you. Kiss me, Jesse. Touch me everywhere. Remind me what real pleasure feels like." Following his own demand, he closed the last distance between them and fastened his mouth on Jesse's.

Caught with his lips parted to make an objection, Jesse groaned as the kiss turned wet and hot immediately. Genji plunged his tongue into Jesse's mouth, tasting of sake and sweet mochi, His kiss was slightly awkward, but he definitely knew what he was doing, duelling with Jesse's tongue and coaxing him to respond.

As if Jesse needed any coaxing. His hand crept up to fist in Genji's spiky hair, and he kissed back with heated desire. Jesse had wanted this so badly for _years_ , and it was better than he'd imagined. As much as he'd been drawn to his dark, brooding teammate, this bright, enthusiastic version of Genji was even hotter. Jesse wanted to drown in the taste of him. 

They swapped spit for long minutes, one kiss turning into two, and two into more. Soft gasps and moans filled the air, the sexiest sounds Jesse had heard in a long time. He was making his share, but most were coming from Genji, who seemed completely lost to the sensations. His eyes were closed, the expression on his face one of ecstasy so intense it resembled pain, frantic with need. He'd shifted into Jesse's lap at some point, straddling his thighs and pressed against him from chest to groin. 

Jesse's cock was swelling, and met equally increasing pressure from Genji, both of them groaning as they ground together. Genji's hands got busy with the buttons of Jesse's shirt, clumsy with drink but determined to bare him for exploration. 

Somehow Jesse found the strength of will to catch the other man's hand and stop him, just as he was reaching inside the gaping shirt to pet at Jesse's chest. "Wait," he panted.

Genji's answer was a hiss of intense frustration. "I want to know if the hair is soft or not," he protested, fingers straining to reach Jesse's chest. "I've been curious forever. Please, let me touch you." 

His brain short-circuited at the idea that Genji had been fantasizing about petting his chest. Jesse struggled to remember why he was trying to put the brakes on. "You. Are. _Drunk_ ," he repeated, attempting to be firm. "I don't care if you can still get it up. If you wouldn't be doing this without the alcohol givin' you courage, you shouldn't be doing it at all."

"That's not why!" Genji pouted. It was the only description for that expression, dismayed and petulant. "I promised myself as soon as Angela cleared me for everything, I'd make a move. I just... also happened to get drunk. I didn't mean to."

"Yeah, and maybe if you'd told me that before the first drink, I'd believe you," Jesse countered. Talking about it was helping to remind him why this was important. 

"How many times have _you_ had sex drunk?" Genji countered, rocking his hips against Jesse's again.

Taking a deep breath, Jesse summoned all his willpower and stood, twisting as he moved so Genji was dumped back onto the couch rather than onto the floor. "Plenty. Not a one of 'em meant a damn thing to me, so I didn't give a shit. You're my friend, Genji, and I want to be sure it stays that way."

He moved away, though every step was torture. Emotionally, but also because his rigid cock pressed against the fly of his jeans so hard it hurt. Growling, Genji got up to try to stalk after him... and promptly swayed and collapsed back down onto the couch, unable to stay upright.

Well, that pretty much cemented it. No way in hell was Jesse fucking the guy when he was too drunk to stand. No matter how much his aching cock begged him to ignore his morals. 

"Y'know what, you can take the couch after all," he muttered. He didn't dare look back again, because the sight of Genji sprawled on his couch with a look of frustrated arousal was far too much temptation. Staggering into his bedroom, Jesse slammed the door shut and leaned against it.

Did the door lock? He almost wouldn't put it past Genji to sneak in on him while he slept, given the mood the ninja was in. Normally a simple bedroom lock wouldn't slow the guy down much, but drunk as he was, it might be too much for him. Who knew Genji would be a horny drunk?

Actually that probably wasn't too surprising. Genji had been experiencing _everything_ intensely over the last month, rediscovering one human pleasure after another, from food to comfort to working out. Sex would surely be something he'd be eager for again. The wonder was that he'd waited this long. Presumably Angela's orders for Genji to _go slow_ and readjust had something to do with that.

And he'd picked Jesse to do it with. Groaning, Jesse flopped face first onto his bed, not even bothering to strip. His cock throbbed where it pressed into the mattress, but he ignored it. If he let himself indulge right now, knowing Genji was wanting and willing on the other side of the door, Jesse was afraid he'd give in to desire.

When the _fuck_ had Jesse become the mature, responsible one? Damn Genji for getting drunk, anyway. If he really had been planning this all along... Jesse thumped his head against the pillow a few times, then yanked a second one over his head to muffle the world. He couldn't take anything a drunk man said at face value. If Genji wanted him, he'd try again later when he was sober.

Until then, Jesse was just going to have to suffer from some seriously blue balls.


	6. Chapter 6

An unholy racket dragged Genji forcibly out of blessed oblivion, making his head throb in time with the noise. Groaning, he tried to roll over and shove his head under the pillow, only to find himself tipping over the edge of the bed into empty space. He hit the ground a moment later with a solid thump, his whole body aching far more than the brief fall warranted. 

When he tried to open his eyes, the light stabbed into them like serrated blades, digging all the way into his brain. Hissing in pain, Genji squeezed them shut again, raising his hands to press against his temples as if he could physically stop the pounding headache. Even when the brain-shattering noise stopped, his head kept pulsing, and his stomach churned with nausea.

Oh, right. This was what hangovers felt like. Struggling not vomit all over the floor, Genji pushed himself gingerly to his knees, and cracked his eyes open more cautiously.

For a moment he was lost, staring at a room that was definitely not his. The thing he'd fallen from was a couch, not a bed at all - he was lucky he hadn't cracked his head open on the coffee table. The sight of an empty bottle and plate on that table drew the relevant memories from his aching brain. He'd brought mochi and sake to Jesse's to celebrate being cleared for duty. They'd watched a movie, Genji had apparently drunk more than he should have, and then...

With a faint whimper he closed his eyes again, and this time when he buried his face in his hands it was entirely due to embarrassment, not pain. He'd thrown himself at Jesse like a drunken idiot, sloppy and not in the least bit sexy. All his nervous plans for possible ways to seduce the cowboy had gone out the window, apparently along with most of his IQ points. 

"Bathroom's on the left," Jesse said from somewhere nearby, his low voice husky with sleep and probably a hangover of his own. "Need help?"

Grateful for the excuse to flee, Genji shoved himself awkwardly to his feet and wobbled in the indicated direction. He didn't look over his shoulder at Jesse, hoping to hide the flaming blush that was currently lighting up his cheeks. "I'll manage. Thanks."

Once in the bathroom he took care of his body's urgent needs, then stole a fingerful of toothpaste to do a half-assed brush job on his teeth. At least it got rid of the worst of his morning breath. He briefly contemplated taking a shower, but decided it would be better for him to get the hell out of there and avoid what was undoubtedly going to be an awkward morning after.

There was one thing he couldn't leave without doing, though. Much as he wanted to. He owed Jesse a serious apology.

Emerging from the bathroom, he looked around and spotted Jesse in the tiny excuse for a kitchen. It didn't hold much more than a bar fridge, a coffee maker, and a microwave - and in Jesse's case, a blender, which explained the horrific noise that had woken him. Leaning against the side of the counter, Genji gave Jesse a rueful smile. "Sorry for making such an ass of myself last night." 

Jesse chuckled, and thankfully didn't seem upset about the whole thing. If anything, he looked amused. "Aw, you weren't so bad as all that. I've certainly seen worse. Hell, I've _done_ worse. Here."

Jesse extended one hand, holding out a large glass full of something that looked green and vile. That explained the blender. Genji's stomach turned over at the smell. "Hangover cure?"

"Tried and tested," Jesse said, lifting his free hand to cover his heart as if making a vow. "Gulp it down fast, and hold your breath, but it'll settle your stomach and calm your head a bit."

"Well, that sounds appealing." Grimacing, Genji accepted the glass, and looked at it for a moment with a kind of horrified fascination. "As long as there's no hair of the dog in there." Jesse shook his head, grinning wide. Sighing, Genji tipped the glass to his lips. "Kanpai."

He slugged it back as quickly as he could, suppressing a gag at the taste. When he was done he shuddered, fighting hard to keep it down. "I swear by all that's holy, McCree, if this is your idea of a joke or revenge, I will skin you alive," he ground out.

"Just give it a minute," Jesse replied patiently. 

Genji was _sure_ he was going to throw up long before a minute had passed. To his astonishment, it did slowly get easier to resist the need to vomit, and the throbbing in his temples settled into something a bit more manageable. Not gone entirely, and his eyes remained painfully sensitive to the light, but he could handle it. 

"Wow. Where has this been all my life?" He paused, squinting suspiciously up at the cowboy. "Why aren't _you_ suffering just as bad? You drank more than I did."

"Already had two glasses of that crap," Jesse said, leaning back against the counter. He braced his hands on the edge, elbows tucked back, the move making his unbuttoned shirt fall open at his sides, exposing muscles and the thatch of hair on his chest. His jeans were all but painted on, and the whole effect was one of casual comfort that looked absolutely delicious.

Once again Genji cursed himself for fucking up so badly last night. If things had gone the way he'd planned, he would now have permission to saunter over there and explore that tanned flesh as much as he wanted. Instead, he was once more reduced to drooling from a distance.

"Thank you," he mumbled, ducking his head. "For being kind last night. I swear it was _not_ my plan to get drunk and do that. You'd think if this is still the body I had back when I was drinking on a regular basis, I'd be able to handle it better, but apparently my tolerance has dropped. A lot."

"Don't mention it." Jesse patted him on the shoulder. "Seriously, it's okay. I've been in that position often enough myself. I didn't want you to regret it this morning."

"Oh, I regret it," Genji said, lifting his head to give Jesse a wry look. "Just not for the reason you think. I planned last night for a _week_ , trying to figure out the best way to approach you. And then I go and get drunk like an idiot."

Jesse went still, eyes wide. "You, ah. That wasn't just the drink talking?"

Suddenly unsure, Genji hesitated. Jesse had made it clear back in Blackwatch that he was interested, but Genji hadn't been physically able to take him up on it. He was sure he'd seen Jesse giving him admiring looks since his transformation, had been reasonably certain an advance would be welcome, or he wouldn't have risked their newfound friendship over it. 

Now Jesse looked nervous, like he'd been hoping Genji would have forgotten, or realized he wasn't interested after all. Had Genji misinterpreted?

A visceral memory came to him of Jesse's tongue plunging into his mouth, sweeping against Genji's as their hard cocks ground together. No, he hadn't misunderstood. Jesse definitely wanted him. Confidence returned, and Genji straightened his spine. "It wasn't the drink, though I have all the more respect for you refusing to believe me when I said so. Jesse, I have wanted you for a long time."

It was Jesse's turn to flush, but there was as much desire as embarrassment in his expression. "Well, I'm sure it's no secret I've wanted you, too," he admitted, voice husky. He reached out to brush his fingers against Genji's cheek, and Genji turned his head to nuzzle into the touch. 

Even that small contact was enough to make him shiver, hyper aware of Jesse's closeness and warmth. He ached for more, had been dreaming about it for years, all the more intensely in the last weeks now that he was able to get off on the fantasies. "I did mean what I said last night, I just expressed it in a very bad way. I want to remember what it's like to touch and be touched. And I really want you to be the one to remind me."

"Darlin', I thought you'd never ask," Jesse breathed out, and closed the distance to pull Genji into a hot kiss.

As good as last night had been, it was far better when Genji was sober enough to properly appreciate it. He moaned into Jesse's mouth, fisting his hands in the open sides of the man's shirt to haul him closer, opening his mouth to let Jesse plunge his tongue in. Genji met the invasion with his own, duelling for a moment before sliding past Jesse's to lick at the inside of the man's lip. 

Jesse slid his hands around Genji's back, then lower, cupping the globes of his ass, squeezing and kneading. Genji retaliated by releasing his grip with one hand and running it up from Jesse's abs to his chest, exploring the taut muscles. _Finally_ he was able to answer his question: Jesse's chest hair was much softer than it looked, but rough enough to scrape enticingly against Genji's skin. 

When they broke the kiss briefly to catch their breath, Jesse leaned his forehead against Genji's and smiled. "Tell you what. I was thinkin' about hopping in the shower anyhow, get cleaned up a bit and soak out the aches. Care to join me?"

"Oh, hell yes," Genji agreed fervently. Getting Jesse naked, wet, and his to play with? There was no way he was turning that invitation down. 

Slipping his hands lower still, Jesse cupped them beneath Genji's ass and hefted him up. Laughing, Genji wrapped his legs around Jesse's waist, squeezing with his thighs to keep himself in place. "Good thing I'm a lot lighter as a human than as a cyborg," he teased. "You'd have strained something. It's a miracle you didn't anyway, old man."

"I already have trouble not thinkin' of you as a kid," Jesse retorted, making his way to the bathroom. "Sure you wanna reinforce that by callin' me an old man?"

Grinning, Genji chose to answer by kissing him again, deep and wet. It distracted Jesse enough that he missed the bathroom doorway, slamming Genji back-first against the doorjamb instead. Genji grunted a pained response, but didn't break the kiss, nipping Jesse's lip as a punishment.

Not that it seemed to work much as a deterrent. Jesse groaned at the bite, shivering. Intrigued, Genji made note of the reaction. He'd have to see what biting elsewhere got him. Right now he was too occupied with the feel and taste of Jesse's mouth against his, the tangle of their tongues as they pressed back and forth.

Correcting his course without looking, Jesse managed to get them into the small bathroom and set Genji's ass on the sink counter. They had to break the kiss in order for Genji to pull his rumpled t-shirt off, and Jesse took the opportunity to lean over and start the water running. Then he shrugged out of his open shirt, and both of them dove for the other's fly, fumbling in their haste to touch skin to skin.

"God, lookit you," Jesse murmured, running an appreciative gaze down Genji's muscled chest. "Haven't stopped thinking 'bout licking sweat off those abs of yours since I saw you workin' out yesterday. Water'll do just fine as a substitute."

Genji won the fly-opening race, and thrust his hand inside Jesse's jeans and boxers. He curled his fingers around the other man's hot, hard cock, learning the feel of it, and grinning when Jesse groaned. The cowboy was bigger than him in every aspect, and Genji couldn't hold back a hum of delight at the thought of how fucking good all that dick was going to feel inside him. One past boyfriend had accused him of being a size queen; Genji just figured his pain tolerance was so much higher than most people, he was able to enjoy more of a stretch, so why _not_ go for the maximum sensation?

Then Jesse returned the favour, and Genji barely muffled a shout as his hips bucked up into the touch. "Fuck. Oh _shit_ , that feels so good. Don't stop." He struggled not to roll his eyes back from sheer pleasure, panting in response to the heat sweeping through his body. He'd thought that he remembered how incredible this felt, but he'd been wrong. _So_ wrong. 

Or maybe it was just because it was Jesse touching him, and this was literally the first time Genji had truly given a shit about the person he was with. His relationships before he'd lost his body had been fleeting things, more a matter of convenience for the booty call than true affection on his part. He'd been a selfish brat as a young man, only concerned with his own pleasure; he'd made sure his partner enjoyed it too, but that was mostly so his reputation would stay good and more people would be willing to sleep with him.

Now he genuinely _wanted_ to make Jesse feel good, even more than he wanted to be pleasured in return. He stroked Jesse slowly, making note of what caused the other man to moan the loudest. "Please tell me you're interested in fucking me," Genji all but begged. "I want to feel you inside me so bad it aches."

"Shit, yes." Jesse shuddered against him, and his cock jerked in Genji's hand in reaction to the suggestion. His eyes were wide with wonder, but the heat in them was fierce enough to scorch. "Wasn't sure which way you'd want it, but I'm up for anything."

"Mmh, I'll take you any way I can get you," Genji replied, leaning closer so he could run his mouth over Jesse's throat. He nipped there, and was rewarded with another moan and shiver. Yeah, there were definite possibilities for having fun being the one taking Jesse instead. "Maybe we’ll do it the other way next time?"

He tried to make the words casual, but a hint of his uncertainty slipped through. He wasn't sure if there was going to _be_ a next time, or if this was a one-off where Jesse was willing to indulge him in re-exploring what sex was like.

To his incredible relief, Jesse bit at his earlobe and murmured, "Darlin', I'm all yours any time you want me."

"Careful," Genji chuckled. "If it always feels this good, I'm going to be insatiable. Sure you can keep up, old man?" He sucked hard at the spot he'd bitten, fully intending to leave a mark so the world would know the cowboy had been claimed.

"You just watch and we'll see who's trying to keep up with who," Jesse retorted. "I ain't in my dotage yet." He stepped back and pulled Genji by the hips, tugging him off the sink to stand upright, then yanked at the waistband of Genji's jeans and underwear. 

Genji 'helped' by wriggling his hips enticingly, until Jesse snorted and slapped him on the now bare ass. Laughing, Genji shucked Jesse out of his bottom half as well, leaving them standing naked together. Groaning, Genji wrapped his arms around Jesse's neck and hauled him in for another kiss, rubbing his whole body against Jesse's. 

As he'd suspected, the hair-roughened texture of Jesse's chest and legs scraped over Genji's smoother flesh in a way that set every nerve on fire. His nipples peaked tight in reaction; he wasn't particularly sensitive there but this felt so good he couldn't _not_ react. Jesse cupped his ass again and ground their cocks together in a slow, steady rocking motion.

Breathless, Genji pushed Jesse back a step, then another, until they finally stepped into the shower and under the spray. The water slicked their skin, easing the friction of flesh against flesh so they were able to slide against each other more easily. Jesse promptly broke the kiss and ducked his head to Genji's shoulder, fulfilling his promise to lick the spray right off the skin. "Gorgeous," he murmured as he continued to slowly move lower.

Fisting his hands in the other man's long hair, Genji leaned back against the wall of the shower for support. "I never understood how you could want me, back then," he admitted, voice wavering when Jesse bit at his nipple. "Even after I came to accept that my cyborg body was not something monstrous, I didn't understand what the attraction could possibly be."

"Oh, darlin', you got no idea." Jesse was on his knees now, nuzzling into the taut flesh of Genji's abs, his whiskers scraping the skin. "Granted, the appeal is a little _different_ now, and I won't deny your human body bein' hot as hell is a definite bonus. But it was _you_ I wanted. That survivor's spirit, the determination to overcome your sordid past and make somethin' of yourself... in a way, you were everythin' I wanted to be."

"You mean brooding and emo?" Genji teased, tugging at the strands of hair wrapped around his fingers. "That look wouldn't suit you much."

Jesse laughed. "Well, it suited you just fine. Though I admit I'm enjoyin' this happy version of you a whole lot. I love the sound of your laugh, and your smile is downright beautiful."

Unexpectedly flustered by the compliment, Genji didn't know quite what to say. Then he couldn't say anything at all, because Jesse had licked his way right down to Genji's cock, and swallowed him nearly whole. 

Crying out, Genji fought to keep from bucking his hips up and choking the other man, lost in a vortex of wet, sucking heat. Thankfully Jesse reached up and pressed his hands against Genji's thighs, keeping him from moving much, so Genji was able to relax and enjoy the pleasure.

It was incredible. Jesse clearly knew what he was doing; his tongue swirled around the head of Genji's cock, slipping beneath the folds of his foreskin to find the sensitive flesh beneath, licking at the slit to catch the first drops of precome. He sucked hard, making Genji's cock ache and balls start to draw up, already close to the edge. Trembling, he clung to his control as tightly as he clung to Jesse's hair, fighting to hold off so he could enjoy every last second of this.

There was no hope. "Jesse," he gasped. "I'm going to..." He didn't even get the full warning out before the building tension within him hit critical, and the orgasm exploded through him. Shouting, Genji emptied himself into Jesse's mouth, shuddering as the other man eagerly swallowed every last drop. 

Only when Genji's cock began to soften again did Jesse release him, sliding his lips off the tip with a soft pop of sound. He grinned up at Genji, clearly very satisfied with himself. "Well? Did that live up to your memory of it?"

"Far better," Genji assured him, his voice a hoarse rasp. "I guess all that talking has made your tongue good for _something_."

Laughing, Jesse rose to his feet and gathered Genji into his arms, kissing him hard. Still limp with pleasure, Genji was a bit sloppy in his return kiss, but he did his best to give as good as he got. Jesse deserved every bit of it.

Hands roaming over every inch of Genji that he could reach, Jesse seemed in no rush to take his own pleasure, though Genji could feel the hard bar of the other man's erection digging into his hip. Genji rocked his pelvis, rubbing against that hot dick to give some stimulation, and Jesse moaned.

Pulling back from the kiss, breathing hard, Jesse smiled at him. "So, about that pounding you wanted..."

"Yesss." Genji sounded overeager even to his own ears, but he couldn't bring himself to be embarrassed. Everything about this was _so fucking good_ , he was dying for the full experience.

His enthusiastic answer made Jesse's smile turn sly. "Turn 'round, then." He reached behind the shampoo and fished out a little tube, which Genji was grateful to see. Lube would make this even better, though he _could_ handle it dry as long as Jesse went slow.

Then he glanced down at Jesse's cock again, bobbing thick and long against the man's stomach, and thought twice. Lube was definitely necessary if he wanted to properly enjoy himself.

Turning, he braced his forearms against the tiled wall, feet spread to present his ass enticingly. Jesse appreciated the view, judging by his heartfelt groan. His hands closed on the globes of Genji's ass, kneading the flesh. The gun callus on his right hand contrasted with the unyielding metal of his left, and it was Genji's turn to moan.

"I had lost this forever," he murmured, resting his forehead on his crossed wrists, hoping Jesse would take the huskiness in his voice for desire and not a sudden tightness in his throat. He might have come to terms with his cyborg body and everything he'd lost, enough to find peace and acceptance of himself, but he'd still felt the pinch of regret and loneliness. "To be able to enjoy touch again... Tracer has no true idea of the scope of the gift she gave me." 

"Well I'm mighty pleased to be the one who gets to remind you _how_ good it is to have it back," Jesse replied, just as soft and intimate, suggesting he had indeed noticed Genji's bout of overwhelming emotions. He brushed a kiss over the nape of Genji's neck, which turned out to be a surprisingly erotic area, making him shiver.

Jesse's right hand left his ass for a moment, and returned slick with oil too heavy for the water to wash away. His fingers probed at Genji's crack, and Genji spread his feet wider still, inviting closer contact. When Jesse's finger found the tight pucker of his ass and pushed in, Genji moaned and rocked his hips into the contact.

His flagging cock rallied, beginning to stiffen once again. Genji had always been deliciously responsive to pleasure, but this was probably the fastest he'd ever gotten it up a second time. Maybe that was because it had been so long since the last time he'd felt this good, but he was certain it was also due to just who was touching him. He'd never felt anything like this before.

For long minutes Jesse teased him, slow, dragging thrusts of first one finger, then two, and finally three. His hands were big, fingers thick, and three stretched Genji hard enough to start a sweet burn despite the lube. Yet Genji knew Jesse's cock was bigger still. He was panting with the need for it, unable to suppress muffled sounds of desire every time Jesse withdrew.

"Damn, you're hot for it, ain't'cha," Jesse said, smugly pleased. "You always gonna be like this, or is it just 'cause it's the first time in a while?"

"Depends." The word came out broken, and Genji had to clear his throat before he could get any more out. "Guess you'll have to impress me enough to make me want it this bad again." Jesse rubbed his fingers over Genji's prostate, and his voice turned breathy. "Y-you're doing just fine so far."

"Good to know." Jesse pulled his fingers out completely, and was back moments later with something much broader and blunter pressing at Genji's hole. It was Jesse's turn to sound rough with desire as he said, "Now I'm kinda on the big side, so don't hesitate to tell me if it's too much. I don't wanna hurt you."

Genji laughed, pushing back to try to force that incredible dick inside. "I lived in agony every day for over a decade. I can take anything you've got, and it'll only be pleasure. _Fuck_ me, Jesse. I want it _hard_. Don't you dare go easy on me."

"Oh, god." Jesse shuddered in reaction to the harsh demand. His hands closed over the sides of Genji's hips, holding him steady for the invasion. "Just remember you asked for it, darlin'."

Then he thrust home in one hard push, and it was everything Genji wanted and more. His cock stretched Genji to the limits, right up to the edge of pain, and it was glorious. He cried out, hands slipping on the wet tile as the force of the push rocked him forward. Jesse's hands braced him, and Genji shifted his center of balance to lean back into the hold, so the thrusts wouldn't shove him as much.

As promised, Jesse didn't hold back, slamming into him again and again, whipping both of them into a state of frantic need. Panting, Genji dropped one hand to his now achingly hard cock, fisting it tightly. He timed his strokes with Jesse's thrusts, though it took a great deal of effort to keep his motions steady. Jesse nipped and sucked at his neck and shoulders, hard enough that there would be marks left behind over the dragon tattoo.

Genji welcomed them, happy to be claimed so thoroughly. He wanted the world to know he was Jesse's. Next time, when the positions were reversed, he intended to do a little branding of his own.

The water rained down on them, and the slap of wet flesh against flesh echoed in the tiled enclosure as Jesse drove himself into Genji at a frantic pace, hard enough that his swinging balls struck Genji's taint each time. Genji felt the tension edge higher in Jesse, could tell the other man was close to the edge. Genji increased his own pace, stroking himself hard and fast to be sure he would reach the peak ahead of the other man, knowing how fucking good it would feel when his body squeezed tight around Jesse's cock.

Orgasm smashed through him a second time, unravelling his very soul, or so it felt. Genji shouted and bucked his hips against Jesse's rhythm, causing the other man to falter. Jesse's cry came a second after his, as the man drove home one last time and stayed there, emptying himself into Genji in a series of hot pulses that Genji could actually feel throbbing inside.

They both collapsed against the wall, Jesse's weight a comforting warmth against Genji's back, pinning him to the tiles. Since that was pretty much the only thing keeping Genji upright on legs that had gone wobbly with pleasure, he wasn't complaining. The other man's softening cock slipped free, leaving behind a pleasant ache of emptiness that would fade all too soon. 

"That was incredible," Genji murmured, a smug smile curving his lips. "Thank you, Jesse."

"Thank _you_ , darlin'," Jesse replied, and nipped at his earlobe. "Don't think I've ever had the chance to just let go and have at like that."

"You're absolutely welcome to do so _any_ time you like." Somehow Genji found the strength and energy to turn in Jesse's hold, putting his back to the wall and wrapping his arms around the other man's waist. Oversensitive from too much stimulation, Genji moaned when his softened cock rubbed against Jesse's, and the sound was echoed back.

"Guess the officers had access to more hot water than we mere grunts did," Jesse chuckled, pulling away from him with obvious reluctance. "Or maybe havin' so few people here makes a difference in how fast we can use it up. C'mon, babe. Lemme wash you up, then you can do the same for me."

"Sounds perfect," Genji agreed, and even to himself his voice sounded dreamy. Jesse chuckled, and Genji slapped him on the ass in response. "Don't be smug," he scolded, even though Jesse had _every_ right to be so. 'Incredible' didn't even begin to describe how good his lover made him feel.

His lover. It wasn't the first time Genji had used the word to refer to a repeat sexual partner, but it was the first time he'd ever meant it in the truest sense. He could fall for Jesse so easily, was already at least halfway there. Maybe more. Jesse had reminded him of how good pleasure could truly feel, but the squeezing of his heart was a new sort of sensation.

Genji quickly decided it was his favourite feeling of all.


End file.
